1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device and a communication control method therefor, as well as a computer-readable storage medium storing a program for implementing the method, and in particular to a technique for controlling communications between devices connected to a wireless personal area network (also denoted as “WPAN”) that carries out short-distance wireless communications.
2. Description of the Related Art
IEEE 802.15.4, which is low-cost and low-power-consumption although transmission speed is as low as 250 Kbps, is used as an exemplary communication method for use in constructing a WPAN. They are called Zigbee (registered trademark) and have potential for increased use in the future.
Conventionally, a technique that registers an ID in each device in advance so as to reduce operations for joining a network has been proposed (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2009-171407). Also, a technique that sets a network frame period available to a plurality of wireless networks and prepares a plurality of channel slots to thus realize coexistence of a plurality of networks has been proposed (Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2003-309572).
However, the technique according to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2009-171407 has a problem that devices and a device capable of managing them are not configured by a topology suitable for configuring settings on the devices, setting data or the like is transmitted to other devices within a network, and hence security cannot be ensured. Further, because setting data or the like is successively transmitted to other devices within a network having a tree structure, communication traffic may increase.
Moreover, according to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2003-309572, maintenance such as setting of frame period and securing of channel slots is required so as to enable a plurality of independent networks to coexist, and hence a large amount of resources is required.